ABSTRACT
This chapter graphically compares the growth of peatland, upland, and an exceptional black spruce stand, representing the potential productivity of black spruce stands in Ontario. The species generally grows in pure stands in peatland conditions, but on uplands, stands occur in various admixtures with other boreal forest trees. The Lydia Lake stands, although 16 years younger than those of the peatland and upland, has considerably larger tree dimensions and volumes. Stem analysis reveals stand history. Judging from the trends in diameter growth at Lydia Lake, fast early growth suggests a catastrophic origin, probably following forest fire, an adequate natural seed source from a parent stand, and little if any detrimental effects from undesirable competing vegetation. Site conditions and history of establishment undoubtedly played a significant role in the development of the Lydia Lake stand. The stand is even-aged, approximately 70 years old, and with a somewhat clustered spatial pattern, but a fairly uniform diameter distribution.
